Sweet Ears just don't look right! - Orchid Board

IngieBee · #1 08-10-2019, 07:11 PM

Soon after I got my O. Sweet Ears, the bulbs turned dark, and the leaves got dark stripes/brush strokes. I thought it was too much light, and it might still be. However none of my other plants look like this, some are also oncidiums. So could my Orchid be sick with something? I twisted off an old bulb and cut it to check for fusarium but there is no sign of that. Is this just a case of suntan? I mean the bulbs are almost black, but firm. I know they are wrinkled, I don't think they get quite enough water with the semi hydro. But they're definitely not rotten

I did put it in semi hydro leca beads when I got it. It's been in this pot since March. It came in bud, finished blooming and has 2 new growths all which can be seen in the following pictures. I hope I captured it well enough. Thanks for any insight and help

Oncidium Sweet Ears by ingiebee, on Flickr

neophyte · #2 08-10-2019, 08:27 PM

i am no expert on diseases, but regarding the possibility of "suntan," i've noticed that overexposed plants generally tend to be more red on one side of the leaf than the other, although this applies more to windowsill-grown plants. maybe this oncidium is just prone to purpling...

could it be that the orchid hasn't produced enough roots suited for s/h conditions yet? maybe wait a little..?

hopefully it's not being cooked in the s/h jar... :P

red streaked leaves can indicate a phosphorus deficiency, although it is rare (and i'm sure you're fertilizing)

just some thoughts

IngieBee · #3 08-10-2019, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neophyte

i am no expert on diseases, but regarding the possibility of "suntan," i've noticed that overexposed plants generally tend to be more red on one side of the leaf than the other, although this applies more to windowsill-grown plants. maybe this oncidium is just prone to purpling...

could it be that the orchid hasn't produced enough roots suited for s/h conditions yet? maybe wait a little..?

hopefully it's not being cooked in the s/h jar... :P

red streaked leaves can indicate a phosphorus deficiency, although it is rare (and i'm sure you're fertilizing)

just some thoughts

Thank you so much for your help! I just sat down and though to search for my specific plant and discovered a page discussing Sweet Ears, and apparently it really probably is just light exposure! It gets more than 50% shade, I'm sure, and with artificial light, for the entire day. No real UV light, but close to that wave length. I guess it's really OK, Just needs more water I suspect??

Oncidium Sweet Ears ‘Pacific Gold’ | Leaf and Limb

Ray · #4 08-11-2019, 08:06 AM

My guess - and that's all it is - is that the plant has not yet gotten its "semi-hydro roots", so it keeping itself hydrated and alive by taking it from the older growths.

The dying tissue in the 3rd and 4th photos might be from being planted too deeply. (Hard to say from photos)

UV has little-to-no benefit to the plant. Right now, it wants to be very warm and very humid.

IngieBee · #5 08-11-2019, 05:23 PM

Thank you so much, Ray, you are always such an invaluable asset here. I'll try lifting it a bit and continue with the high humidity I've started giving my plants (averaging 80%) which they've all seemed to respond to as long as water doesn't puddle (circulation). I'm learning so much here! Last time I kept orchids was 30 years ago and there was no internet, LOL.